Kaniha aka Divya Venkatasubramaniam, a demure actress, gave impressive performances in Pazhassi Raja, Bhagyadevatha, Spirit and Bavuttiyude Namathil. Kaniha was equally brilliant in her studies. She is an alumni of Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, where she pursued a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from 1999-2003.
What did college teach you?
To be a level-headed person. BITS Pilani is an institution with the brightest bunch of students from across the country. The cream of the student segment from all states join BITS. I was a topper in many classes and there I got a chance to meet people who were smarter than me. I realised there’s a lot for me to learn. My stint at BITS Pilani changed my view towards life.
What was your proudest moment in college?
My proudest moment in college happened after I graduated. In 2010, 30 alumni who excelled in different fields in the last 30 years were chosen and a video was made. I was one among the selected students. Being recognised by one’s alma mater is definitely something to be proud of.
Have you had any embarrassing moments in college?
BITS Pilani is in Rajasthan and I am from Tamil Nadu. Initially I had some language problems since I was not fluent in Hindi. But a particularly embarrassing experience was when the college authorities put our exam results on the notice board. I was not aware that they would display the marks before we get them. Unfortunately, I was not able to perform well in that test. That was a low point in my academic life. But, taking cue from that, I picked up and concentrated more on studies.
How did you score points with the opposite gender?
(Laughs) Seriously, I didn’t score much with them. There were many city-bred students in BITS Pilani. I was from a conservative family and was therefore simple, especially in my dressing. Still, there were some boys who had some serious crushes. Maybe my simplicity was the scoring point.
Did you have any rift with professors? Why?
No, and that was also because of the way the institute plans its curriculum. Before every semester, students can register their subjects and choose the professors. So we always got an opportunity to select teachers whom we got along very well with.
Was bunking a part of your college life?
Our college had a different style of teaching. Attendance was not compulsory and scoring well was the student’s responsibility. Initially I used to bunk many classes especially the morning sessions during the winter, as it was dead cold in Rajasthan. But later I had self-realisation. Only when there are rules would we have the tendency to break them.
Where did you hang out in college with friends?
There were many hangouts on our campus, out of which I particularly remember Connaught Place, which is a replica of the original Connaught Place in New Delhi. We used to gobble Maggi noodles and parathas. There was also a small and beautiful temple where I used to go and pray before every examination.
What extracurricular activities were you involved in?
We had a cultural fest named Oasis. I was part of the singing team. I was also part of the drama group and fashion team. We also had an academic fest and I was in charge of various paper presentations.
— parvathy@newindianexpress.com